Instead of reading "Impossible," read, "Graceling." It's a shorter, easy read that is mostly about romance-like Impossible, but without icky fairy-r. It's also refreshingly anti-marriage. Did I just say refreshingly anti-marriage? I did.
Instead of reading The Mortal Instruments Series, read "The Magicians." A MUCH better follow up for Harry Potter fans. It doesn't leave you with a gleeful "I LOVE MAGIC!" feelings like our dear HP, but its a story about a magic college and it is so. so. good.
Alright! on to "The Sookie Stackhouse Chronicles...AKA Lets See How Many Times We Can Beat this Pretty Bitch Up."
I'm going to try my very best not to spoil anything for fans of the TV show. No promises, but I'm going to try very hard.
Comparisons from the Books to HBO
1. The TV Show is soooooooooooo much better.
2. Book Sookie is a size 8 "on a good day" and has a beautiful face. In the show..................
3. Book Bill is kind of a dick. He doesn't tell Sookie he loves her, because he's a vampire and they can't feeeeel human eemmmotions. He's not romantic, and is constantly putting Sookie in danger and not feeling that bad about it. Show Bill is such a swooney gentleman!
4. Book Eric is hot and I love him. Show Eric is hot. and. I. love. him.
5. Plot-wise, Jason is not that integral in the books. The Show has invented ways to keep him in every episode and you don't hear me complainin.
6. Book Tara and show Tara are really different, but I don't like either incarnation of that character, so whatever.
My Problems with Charlaine Harris
1. The writing. Harris' other books are serial mysteries, so I'll give her that she is not used to this genre. But seriously, the descriptive details are OUT. OF. CONTROL. We'll have a whole chapter on what Sookie did on a Saturday morning, and Charlaine, if it's not Eric, I don't want to read about it! Like, "Sookie woke up and stretched and yawned and felt tired. She crawled out of her blue and white bedsheets that were slightly wrinkled from sleeping. She then took a shower, using her favorite Plumeria body gel. Then she dried off with a blue towel. Then she made eggs and toast and spread the butter evenly on both sides." ETC. YOU AREN'T CHARLES DICKENS, OKAY? We don't need to hear about the cobblestoned streets. What is the purpose of these scenes? And why isn't ERIC in MORE of them.
2. Feministy things. I can't explain wholely without spoiling a huge plot point in what will be next season of the show. So I guess, all I can say is watch, and we'll discuss then. But Charlaine pulls just an atrocious move with the Sookie/Bill storyline and starts justifying some horrific male/female stereotypes. No, I'm not talking about cookin and cleanin.
3. Why so much beating up of the human? Poor Sookie is constantly getting the crap kicked out of her. Again I don't want to spoil too much-like the series implies, she's more than human. But not that much more! She can't take you in a fight! Buffy was different-she had inhuman strength, so it was okay that she was always getting in tussles. Sookie gets so many horrific beatings it makes me wonder if Harris hates women.
Should you read the books if you are a fan of the Show?
Honestly, no. You aren't missing anything. I wish I could erase the books from my memory so I could enjoy the show more. I also wish that Anna Paquin was a slightly better actress. I also wish Eric was real, and loved me. I also wish I had a burrito to eat right now, but we don't always get what we wish for, now do we??!
ughhh I wish Eric was real, too. he's sooooo dreamy.
ReplyDeletealso, I won't read the books because I hear lafayette is offed early on in the series, whereas they're keeping him on the show. and lafayette is my other favorite character. I want an eric/lafayette love fest to happen. is that too fanfic of me??